PMK seeks tabling of Muthukumaran Committee report

Tindivanam, Tamil Nadu, Oct 11 (UNI) PMK founder-leader S Ramadoss today urged the Tamil Nadu Government to table the Muthukumaran Committee report on uniform education during the coming monsoon session of the State Assembly and allow a detailed discussion on it.

Talking to newspersons at his Thailapuram garden residence here, he called upon Chief Minister M Karunanidhi to entrust development of uniform education to an able educationist, on the lines of the appointments made by his predecessor K Kamaraj -- Messrs Venkatachalapthy (rural development), Sundaravadivelu (education) and Appadurai (electricity).

Lamenting that 48.04 lakh people had registered in employment exchanges in Tamil Nadu and were awaiting employment opportunities, Dr Ramadoss said only 12,000 to 16,000 people were recruited every year and wondered when the backlog would be cleared. Though the private sector companies were pumping in investments and generating lot of jobs, it was only 'white collar' jobs.

The OBCs and SC/STs together bagged only 4.4 per cent of these 'white collar' jobs. This proved that the educational system in the country did not guarantee employment for the oppressed sections, he opined, calling for a paradigm shift in curriculum, educational infrastructure, Government's approach, policy and financial allocation.

Dr Ramadoss sought a ban on the use of mobile phones by students, on the lines of Karnataka, in the wake of research that prolonged use of cell phones had an impact on their physical, mental and social well-being.

He said he had written to the Chief Minister, urging him to expedite the proposed thermal power plants at Cheyyur in Kancheepuram district and Marakkanam in Viluppuram district and not to acquire fertile lands for the purpose. In Marakkanam, large tracts of poramboke and barren lands were available, he pointed out.

A small port could be developed in Arakkonam-Cheyyur for bringing coal to the power plants, he suggested, adding that it would help in industrial growth on the East Coast.

UNI